E3 ubiquitin ligases and their control of T cell autoreactivity
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* Corresponding author: Daniel L Mueller muell002@umn.edu
Rheumatic and Autoimmune Diseases Division, and Center for Immunology, University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, MN, USA
Arthritis Research & Therapy 2005, 7:233-242 doi:10.1186/ar1842
Published: 12 October 2005Abstract
A loss of T cell tolerance underlies the development of most autoimmune diseases. The design of therapeutic strategies to reinstitute immune tolerance, however, is hampered by uncertainty regarding the molecular mechanisms involved in the inactivation of potentially autoreactive T cells. Recently, E3 ubiquitin ligases have been shown to mediate the development of a durable state of unresponsiveness in T cells called clonal anergy. In this review, we will discuss the mechanisms used by E3 ligases to control the activation of T cells and prevent the development of autoimmunity.